SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE!

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE!

Eph 4:11-15

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Someone has well said that truth without love is brutality, but love without truth is hypocrisy. I think we are probably suffering today from both extremes! We could easily find a church that practices truth without love. Within this church you will find harsh instruction regarding unbending rules. Those who worship there would, I think, all look the same and it would be quite drab. The result is conformity without diversity. There would be no freedom of thought and no challenge to the teaching.

It is just as easy to find a church that practices love without truth. Actually truth would be proclaimed as long as it met no challenge. Love, in this kind of church, would never confront any error for fear of appearing intolerant. The result is diversity without conformity. There would be no motivation to obey right over wrong because both would be tolerated.

Lovingly telling the truth is what ministry is all about. Jesus is our model for ministry because He always confronted error lovingly whenever possible. To the woman taken [caught red handed] in adultery, he said: “neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). To the woman at the well, he gently pointed out that she had had five husbands but was now simply living with a man who was not her husband (John 4:18). This kind of truthful but loving ministry is sorely needed today but it is dangerous and often comes at a price.

John Wanamaker once gave this advice: "Whatever you have to say to people be sure to say it in words that will cause them to smile and you will be on pretty safe ground. And when you do find it necessary to criticize someone, put your criticism in the form of a question which the other fellow is practically sure to have to answer in a manner that he becomes his own critic."

Dear Lord, I have friends who need to know the truth regarding their attitudes and actions. Help me to tell them in love so that I do not lose a friend in the process. AMEN